Largest ever student intake at Medac

This year's intake of postgraduate students at the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies (Medac) at University is the largest ever in the academy's 20-year history.

It includes students from Albania, Azerbaijan, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Georgia, Germany, Iceland, Malta, Montenegro, the Palestinian Authority, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, and the UK.

President Emeritus and Medac chairman Guido de Marco and director Stephen Calleya addressed the opening ceremony of the 2009-10 academic year, which was attended among others by members of the diplomatic corps in Malta.

German Ambassador Bernd Braun also spoke at the event to launch the German Chair in Peace and Conflict Prevention at the academy. He highlighted the role Germany plays in international relations and the importance that Germany attaches to cooperative security in the Mediterranean.

Prof. de Marco, who also holds the Jean Monnet Chair in the EU and Dialogue between People and Cultures at Medac, emphasised the role the academy plays to promote dialogue between Mediterranean peoples and cultures, and the importance of consistently promoting confidence-building measures in the region, especially in the Middle East.

To date over 500 students from more than 40 different countries have graduated from Medac. Many are now following a career in diplomacy and are serving in their respective embassies worldwide.

For further information about Medac visit its website www.um.edu.mt/medac.